Diverter valve sampler



' L. L. THOMPSON DIVERTER VALVE SAMPLER INVENTOR. Le e L avere Thompson BY Filed June 10, 195'5 IUI..

July l5 1958 aired States This invention relates to improvements in diverter valves and more particularly to diverter valves used in diverting a proportionate part of the mud stream from a well being drilled, into a sample taking device, such as is used with a shale separator and a sample machine, as shown by Patents No. 2,228,185 and No. 2,295,437, respectively, issued to Lonnie L. Thompson.

Various mud diverter arrangements have been proposed heretofore, but these, for the most part had certain defects which the present device is designed to correct, in such manner as to give a uniform sampling of the mud-laden stream, as pumped from a `drilling well, so as to enable an accurate and proportionate sample to be diverted into a sample machine.

An object of this invention is to provide a diverting valve whereby a proportionate amount of the drilling mud, which bears the cuttings from a drilling well, is diverted into a sample takingmachine without undue clogging of the ow gate through which the mud-laden sample flows.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diverter valve to direct a sample of mud-laden fluid, from a drilling well, into a sample taking machine, whereby, if a pipe should become clogged, the mud-laden fluid will automatically pass into the shale separator.

Still another object of'the invention is to provide a diverter valve wherein a diverter plate may be utilized to divert a proportionate sample into a sample-taking device and for maintaining the diverting plate in a fixed, adjusted relation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sample diverting valve, wherein a sample from the mud stream is divided out and a portion of which is directed into a pipe leading to the sample-taking machine, and the other portion of which is by-passed into a conduit to be directed into the shale separator.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device whereby the diverter plate of the diverter valve may be readily removed, cleaned and replaced, without the necessity of using tools.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mud diverter valve which is simple in construction, easy to operate, and low in the cost of manufacture.

ln the drilling of oil wells, it is customary to direct the drilling mud into a shale separator to separate the cuttings Y and solid particles therefrom so the drilling mud may be recirculated. It is also desirable to take continuous samples of the formation solids from the drilling mud during the drilling of a well, in order to determine the type of strata at any particular depth. Itis therefore, the purpose of the present invention to divert, from the mud stream which is directed into the shale separator, samples of the solids therefrom, into a sampling device, such as shown by the patent above mentioned, thereby providing accurate samples of the formation throughout the drilling of the well.

With the objects set out above in mind, and others that will manifest themselves as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in

2,342,955 Patented July l5, 1953 which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is atop plan view of the device, with parts broken away and shown in section, to bring out the details of construction;

Y Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device, with parts broken away and with parts shown in section, to show the details of construction; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the diverter valve plate removed from the device.

With more specic reference to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generally a portion of a shale separator, usually of a character that separates solids from drilling j fluid during the drilling of oil wells and the like. The numeral 2 designates a mud ow line which directs the mudladen fuid from a well being drilled into the shale separator. A box 3 is positioned on a side of the mud fiow line, and is in fluid communication therewith through an opening 4, which opening 4 admits mud into the lower forward end of the mud box 3.

A spiral diverter plate 6 is positioned within the mud flow line 2 adjacent the opening 4, so as to form an obstruction in the mud flow line so as to direct solid bearing drilling fluid into and through opening 4. The mud box 3 has the bottom, front and one side closed, however the open rear side forms an opening into the shale separator 1, as will best be seen in Fig. 1. A lateral pipe 12 is in fluid communication with the mud box 3, on the side thereof opposite the mud flow line 2. The lateral pipe 12, having an opening 13 therein, is positioned in box 3 a short distance down stream from the opening 4.

A diverter plate 14 is pivoted to a bearing member 16, which bearing is secured on the inside of mud box 3, as will best be seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The diverter plate 14 is contoured at 18, so as to be in close fitting relation with the mud ow line 2, on one side and with theouter side of mudbox 3 on the other side.

A handle 20 is secured to the upper end of diverter plate 14 and is outstanding on one end to engage notched rack 22, which notched rack 22 is mounted within mud box 3. The other end of the handle 20 is downturned, as indicated best in Figs. l and 4, to form a pivot shaft 24, to engage bearing member 16 to enable the diverter plate 14 to swing around bearing member 16 as a pivot point, as indicated in dot-dash outline in Fig. l, whereby the full flow of drilling mud may be diverted through mud box 3 and out through opening 13 of lateral pipe 12 into the sampling machine. However, if no sample is desired, the full flow of mud may be directed, by means of the adjustment of the diverter plate 14, into opening 10 which leads to the shale separator. If a proportionate sample is to be taken, the diverter plate 14 is so adjusted as to direct a portion of the solid bearing drilling duid into pipe 12 and out through opening 13 thereof into the sampling machine, without materially interrupting the ilow of mud out through opening 1t?. The contoured diverter plate 14 knifes into the mud stream and diverts a portion thereof into the pipe 12, without causing turbulence in the mud stream.

The mud box 3 is provided with a cover 5, so in event the liquid level therein rises too high, the cover 5 will prevent the rnud flow from breaking over the top of the box. rfhe cover 5 is hingeably connected to the mud box 3 by means of hinge 26, as will best be seen in Fig. 3.

The spiral diverter plate 6 is arranged in the m-ud ow line 2, adjacent the opening 4, so that the mud is directed at an angle through opening 4 substantially toward pivot shaft 24 of diverter plate 14, whereupon, by moving handle 2li of the diverter plate 14 along notched quadrant 22, any variation of uid division may be had, that is, with the diverter plate as shown in full outline in Fig. l, all the mud will be diverted through outlet pipe l2 into a sample-taking machine, or the diverter plate may be hingeably moved about pivot shaft 24 until the opening 13 oftherpipe 12 is practically closed; Should the ow of mud through box 3 become too high, a notch 28 is formed within a side of diverter plate 14, which will permit the liquid portion of the mud to pass therethrough and into the shale separator, but which will divert the solid portions thereof out through opening 13 of pipe 12, into the sampling machine.

While the invention has been described and claimed in one embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that changes may be made in the minor details of construction, and adaptations made in diferent installations without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A diverter valve for use in a mud flow line, which mud flow line extends between a drilling well and a shale separator, said mud ilow line having an inlet opening formed in the lower portion thereof, a diverter baffle secured to the inside of said mud flow line immediately adjacent and down-stream from said opening therein, a box-like member secured to said mud flow line, the opening in said mud ow line being in fluid communication with said box-like member, said box-like member having the up-stream end closed and the down-stream end having an opening formed therein and being in uid communication with said shale separator, a lateral side of said box-like member, opposite said mud ow line, having an opening formed therein, said opening being positioned downstream from the opening in said mud ow line, a plate pivotally connected to a lateral side of said box-like member, the pivot point of which is adjacent and immediately down-stream from said opening in said lateral side of said box-like member, said plate being of a length to substantially block said opening in said box-like member when in one position, means for holding said plate in adjusted position, and said diverter 4 plate having a notch opening formed in a side thereof above said opening leading from said lateral side of said box-like member.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said diverter bafe is of spiral coniguration and which has one end thereof extending upward from the bottom of said mud flow line along the-inner diameter thereof.

3. A diverter valve for use in a mud iiow line, which mud ow line extends between a drilling well and a shale separator, said mud ow line having an inlet opening formed in the lower portion thereof, a diverter baffle secured to the inside of said mud flow line immediately adjacent and down-stream from said opening therein, a box-like member secured to said mud flow line, the opening in said mud ilow line being in uid communication with said box-like member, said box-like member having the up-stream end closed and the down-stream end having an opening formed therein and being in uid `communication with said shale separator, a lateral side of said box-like member, opposite said mud flow line, having an opening formed therein, said opening being positioned down-stream from the opening in said mud flow line, a plate pivotally connected to a lateral side of said box-like member, the pivot point of which is adjacent and immediately down-stream from said opening in said lateral side of said box-like member, said plate being of a length to substantially block said opening in said box-like member when in one position, means for holding said plate in adjusted position, and said diverter plate being positioned sufficiently down stream from said inlet opening into said box-like member so said mud will'be diverted from said inlet opening into said box-like member at an angle so said pivoted plate will divide the mud proportionately according to the angle at which the plate is positioned within said box-like member.

Gaus June 1, 1943 Hayward Nov. 7, 1950 

